Joah Spearman is co-founder and CEO of Localeur, a startup aimed at helping travelers experience cities as locals do. In 2013, Localeur was named the best new startup by Austin Monthly after being named among the most innovative startups by the Austin Chamber of Commerce and SXSW Interactive. Joah previously led travel market strategy for Bazaarvoice, which counts Expedia, Hilton, IHG and Starwood Hotels as clients. Joah was named emerging business leader of the year by the Austin Black Chamber and is a three-time finalist for the Austin Under 40 Awards. Previously, Joah co-founded the official style segment of SXSW and founded Sneak Attack, a popular, pop-up sneaker boutique in Downtown Austin. Over the years, Joah has served as a strategist for AT&T, the Beijing Olympics, and FedEx, and also served as vice chair of the Austin Music Commission.

Entries by Joah Spearman

There have been so many stories written about the demise and downfall of Detroit. The government is corrupt. The auto manufacturers are falling behind. The city is desolate and homes can be purchased for one dollar. I have spent a total of two days in Detroit, far too little time...

It was just two summers ago that I wrote about the evolution of ESPN's X Games, not just the growing popularity of the competition but also the maturation of its fan base. As X Games reached its 18th birthday in 2012, it seemed its overall style had also...

The success stories of both TOMS and Warby Parker have been written and written again, but there are two companies in their shadows that deserve your attention as well: Tortoise & Blonde and BucketFeet.

Founded just four years ago, eyewear brand Tortoise & Blonde has toured the country with...

In late 2009, while doing an interview for a still-in-progress book on Austin's live music scene, I was able to sit down with Brent Grulke, the late creative director and co-founder of the uber-influential South by Southwest Festival. The interview included story after story about what life was like in...

I've caught the holiday spirit, and I'm guessing by now you have as well. That's a good thing because the holiday spirit often means a spirit of giving. Giving gifts is a nice thing whether large or small, costly or inexpensive, of the heart or of the mind. One of...

December is here, which means it's about time for everything from Hanukkah to college football's Heisman Trophy winner to be honored. It also means it's time to remember the year past before we take on the next one, especially if we plan to leave those outdated styles and trends behind.

"Austin has the Texas influence, the food, the culture, but it also beats to its own drum in a great way," said CFDA-award-winning designer Billy Reid. "Austin is a very happy place with a lot of happy people who want to live there and love it. There are...

New York Fashion Week wrapped just weeks ago, and the fashion industry's top 1 percent have already turned their attention to some of the most expensive and luxurious cities in Europe. Meanwhile, most Americans have a different focus with a presidential election just weeks away and school now in session...

My experience at Wanderlust, the yoga and music festival, which took place in late July near Lake Tahoe, was unlike any other I've had in my travels over the past few years. Let me put that into some context.

At the start of the year, I offered up a men's style guide on my personal blog. After dozens if not hundreds of conversations giving pointers to friends and co-workers (many of whom are highly-paid lawyers, engineers, CEOs, etc.) about not only what to wear but how to...

Last month in Austin, Texas, music and style collided like never before to make this year's South by Southwest Music Festival the epicenter of cool. The Boss himself, Bruce Springsteen, and his rolled up sleeves graced two stages -- one as SXSW's keynote speaker another as its marquee performer.

I've read biographies about great American leaders since my early childhood. I can still fondly recall things I learned about Ben Franklin, Teddy Roosevelt, MLK and other icons of leadership. The quality that stands out the most is that they all led by doing, and doing first more often than...

It's not just Santa coming to town, but an epic transformation in commerce. The holiday season gives us a glimpse into the future of shopping behavior, and we're not too far from online shopping becoming the modus operandi of American consumers. Strip malls may never be the same.

After back-to-back years attending Coachella, it was plain for me to see that festival fashion was at a premium in the California desert every April. But where can a style-savvy festival fan go to get their fix the rest of the year? Here's a hint: book a flight to Austin...